The new Tesla Roadster finally has a release date, nine years after its announcement
Nine years after the first prototype was unveiled, the brand has set October 1, 2026, as the new release date for its Tesla Roadster, along with an explicit teaser: “Go for launch.” This time, the electric sports car could deliver a demonstration that is truly spectacular.
After years of delays, Tesla is bringing its Roadster back into the spotlight. The teaser image posted by the brand on its website shows a red car bathed in strong vertical lighting, as if positioned on a launch pad. At the bottom of the image, two elements immediately catch the eye: the text “Go for launch” and the date “10.01.” There’s little doubt about the purpose of this reveal—the countdown displayed on the Roadster’s official page also points to October 1st. However, Tesla has not yet specified where the presentation will take place or whether it will be streamed live (though that is assumed).
A Roadster capable of leaving the ground?
The demonstration could go far beyond a simple static display. Tesla has been working for several years on the idea of equipping the Roadster with cold gas thrusters developed using SpaceX’s technologies, powerful enough to lift the car off the ground temporarily.
Elon Musk has discussed this possibility since 2018. However, according to reports from August, the final demonstration plan has been scaled back: the vehicle would perform a simple remotely controlled stationary flight without a driver on board.
If the demonstration is public, spectators might also need to be kept several hundred meters away due to the sound level generated by the thrusters. Even though this remains Musk’s latest ambitious idea, seeing a Tesla vehicle actually lift off from the ground would undoubtedly be one of the most spectacular moments ever staged by the automaker.
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Nine years of delays and waiting lists
More seriously, the unveiling of the new Roadster should put an end to a (very) long wait. The first prototype of the new Tesla Roadster was revealed in November 2017. At that time, Tesla promised impressive performance: accelerating from 0 to 1000 km/h in less than two seconds, a top speed exceeding 400 km/h, and a range of up to 1,000 kilometers.
Its starting price was supposed to reach $200,000, with production initially scheduled for 2020. It was never launched after all. Tesla has since postponed the release multiple times, with successive targets set for 2022, 2023, 2024, and then 2025–2026.
At the end of 2025, Elon Musk still mentioned a possible start to production in 2027 or 2028. In other words, the presentation on October 1st still does not mean that the first units for customers are about to arrive, but at least a new production date is hoped for (and that the manufacturer will stick to it).
It must be said that those who made reservations since 2017 have waited a long time. The deposits required were $50,000 for the standard version and up to $250,000 for the Founders Series. Mark Brownlee and Sam Altman, in particular, announced that they had finally canceled their reservations.
The timeline chosen by Tesla is also significant. The company is currently highlighting several long-announced projects, including the Semi, the robotaxi, and now the Roadster. This new demonstration comes at a time when the ties between Tesla and SpaceX are playing an increasingly important role in Elon Musk’s strategy.
The teaser “Go for launch” takes on special meaning: October 1st is likely to be an important date for the Roadster, but perhaps more so as a spectacle than for its actual release. Stay tuned on October 1st for more details!